One more week to tell the Government what climate action you want to see

This is a reminder that the Government’s consultation on what climate action New Zealand should take after 2020 is underway, and will finish on June 3, a week from today.

Many of you have attended the Ministry for the Environment’s meetings up and down the country. The officials have clearly been surprised at the interest in its roadshow, having to make last-minute switches to larger venues in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. Well done everybody for turning out.

However, many have been concerned and frustrated at the summaries given at the end of those meetings, which, many argue, did not reflect the strength of feeling among participants. One person was taking notes, but we have no idea whether our strength of feeling has been properly conveyed to officials or, indeed, whether it will reach the ears of Ministers. The media is certainly not helping us in this regard.

It’s important that you make your voice heard in writing.

It does now look like MfE will make submissions public on its website. We look forward to reading those from industry, especially, given their public silence on this issue.

How can you make a submission?

Easy online submissions through various organisations
If you want your voice heard, but don’t have time to read through all the background and write your own, here’s some online submission forms that will make it easier for you:

For those of you with an interest in how they came to their conclusions, read themodelling that guided MfE. The assumptions are astounding

(scroll down for more on the economic aspects).

More details on the consultation

Economic arguments make up the main thrust of the Government’s arguments against acting on climate change. The Greens (Russel Norman) have been following the economics and challenging the Government on this aspect:

This facebook post by Russel Norman shows the costs of paying polluters to pollute – as set out in the budget.

This set of questions to the Minister by Russel Norman reveal that the Treasury has costed not acting on climate change at $52billion, something that was left out of MfE’s documents, but obtained under OIA.

Other useful blogs and media

There has been limited analysis of the Government’s proposals and discussion paper in our media.